Close tolerance pipe apparatus

ABSTRACT

A close tolerance pipe apparatus including a column of pipe lengths formed on their respective opposite extremities with male and female extremities which connect together to form joints. The female extremities are integral with the respective pipe lengths and are expanded to telescope over the respective male extremities. Stop means is secured in the female extremities of the respective pipe lengths and are disposed at a selected distance from the male end of such respective pipe lengths. The male extremities are externally threaded and the female extremities internally threaded whereby the male extremities may be screwed into the female extremities sufficiently far to abut the ends of the male extremities against the respective stop means to thereby provide an overall length for the total pipe column which is the cumulative distance between the stop means and male ends of the respective pipe lengths.

United States Patent Tybus [4 1 July 18, 1972 1 CLOSE TOLERANCE PIPEAPPARATUS Primary Examiner-Robert M. Walker [72] Inventor: Frank w.Tybus, 9060 Rosecrans Ave" Attorney-Fulmder, Patton, Rieber, Lee &Utecht Bellflower, Calif. 90706 I 57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled: June 1970 Aclose tolerance pipe apparatus including a column of pipe [21] Appl.No.: 49,776 lengths formed on their respective opposite extremities withv male and female extremities which connect together to form joints. Thefemale extremities are integral with the respective pipe lengths and areexpanded to telescope over the respective I 58] Fie'ld 4 1 9/424. 415/561 285/3/33 male extremities. Stop means is secured in the femaleextremi- 285/286 ties of the respective pipe lengths and are disposed ata selected distance from the male end. of such respective pipe lengths.The male extremities are externally threaded and the [56] ReerencesCited female extremities internally threaded whereby the male ex- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS tremities may be screwed into the female extremitiessufficiently far to abut the ends of the male extremities against theAllison respective stop means to thereby provide an overall length for306,706 1 1/1916 X the total pipe column which is the cumulativedistance l'536'754 5/1925 Bensfm X between the stop means and male endsof the respective pipe 3,406,986 10/1968 Jennings ....285/286 X lenstha1,577,737 3/1926 Layne et al. ..4l7/424 X 9 China, 2 Drawing FiguresPatented July 18, 1972 FIG.2

ITTO/Q/V'KS CLOSE TOLERANCE PIPE APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates topipe columns for use in water turbine pumps and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Water turbine installations normally include a relatively large diameterouter column of pipe leading from a drive motor located above ground toa water turbine disposed at the water source. Tubing generally extendsdown the center of the pipe column and has an impeller drive shafttelescoped downwardly thereinto for connection on its top end with adrive motor and ori its bottom end with the turbine impeller. The columnpipe, tubing and impeller shaft are generally made up of many lengthsand it is important to hold the overall length of each to closetolerances so they will correspond with one another after installation.It has been common practice to utilize all male pipe in the column andto provide such pipe cut to selected lengths. The pipe lengths arethreaded on their opposite ends and internally threaded female couplingsare provided for coupling the ends of adjacent lengths together. Columnpipe construction of this type suffers the shortcoming of requiring thatevery length of pipe be threaded on its opposite ends and that,additionally, internally threaded couplings must be provided for eachjoint.

Numerous pipe joints have been proposed as indicated by the followingUS. Pat. Nos.: 1,287,934, 1,460,769, 2,005,631, 2,259,232, 2,289,271,2,532,632 and 3,489,437.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The close tolerance pipe apparatus of presentinvention is characterized by joints which are formed from integralfemale portions of pipe lengths which are expanded to telescope over themale portion of connecting pipe lengths. The male and female extremitiesare threaded and stop rings are secured in the female portions to limitthe distance which the male extremities may be screwed thereinto tothereby hold the overall length of the pipe column to relatively closetolerances.

An object of the present invention is to provide a close tolerance pipeapparatus of the type described that is economical to manufacture andeasily assembled to provide a desired overall length for the column.

The object and advantages of the present invention will become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a broken side elevational view of aclose tolerance pipe apparatus embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along theline 2--2 ofFIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The close tolerance pipeapparatus of present invention may be conveniently utilized forconducting water from a turbine pump, generally designated 21, locatedfar below ground to a water outlet 23 formed in a head, generallydesignated 24, located above ground and supporting the housing of adrive motor, generally designated 25. The pipe column 19 includes aplurality of pipe lengths, generally designated 29, which are connectedtogether by joints, generally designated 31. The joints 31 are formed byintegral female extremities 33 which are expanded to fit over respectivemale extremities 35 of connecting pipe lengths 19. Stop rings 39 aresecured within the female extremities 33 at selected distances from theopposite, or male, end of the respective pipe lengths whereby the maleextremities 35 of the connecting pipe length may be screwed into therespective male extremities 33 sufficiently far to abutt the male endagainst such stop rings 39 thereby positively holding the overall lengthof the pipe column to a desired tolerance.

It has been common practice to provide a pipe column which is connectedon its upper end with a motor 25 and on its lower end with a waterturbine pump 21 and has tubing, generally designated 41, telescopeddownwardly therethrough and connected on its upper end with the housingof the motor 25 and on its lower end with the housing of the turbine 21.The tubing 41 includes a plurality of tubing lengths 43 which areinternally threaded on their opposite extremities and are connectedtogether by hollow male couplings 45.

An impeller drive shaft, generally designated 51, is telescopeddownwardly through the tubing 41 and includes a plurality of shaftlengths 53 which are externally threaded on their opposite ends and areconnected together by internally threaded female couplings 55.

The water turbine 21 includes an exterior housing 61 which is made up ofa plurality of bowls which form different stage bowl chambers 63 forreceipt of impeller wheels 65 connected with the lower extremity of theimpeller drive shaft 51. The turbine 21 terminates at its top end in anoutlet 66 which is connected with the bottom end of the column 19.

The water turbine 21 is frequently located several hundred feetunderground and the individual pipe lengths 29 are 10 or 20 feet long.The tubing 41 and impeller drive shaft 51, of course, are of similarlength and may be made up of a similar number of sections. Consequently,it is important that the overall length of the entire pipe column 19 beclosely held so it will coincide with the lengths of the tubing 41 andshaft 51 to properly locate the turbine housing 61 and impeller wheels65 in proper relationship while terminating at their upper extremitiesat proper spacings for connection with the head 24 and drive shaft ofthe motor 25.

The respective female extremities 33 are encased in surroundingreinforcing collars 75 which are welded in position by fillet wells 77.

A particularly convenient method of forming the female extremities 33 isby utilizing a constant diameter pipe length of the desired size andtelescoping a reinforcing ring 75 over one extremity thereof. Theextremity 33 is then expanded to the desired diameter and is internallythreaded. The reinforcing collar 75 may then be welded in place 'bymeans of the wells 77 to assure that it remains in position.

The male end 81 of the respective lengths are cut perpendicular to thecenter line of the pipe and the stop rings 39 are placed in position,also perpendicular to the pipe center line and are welded in place byweld fillets 83.

In operation, the selected number of pipe lengths 29 are connectedtogether to form a column 19 teaching from the underground turbine 21 tothe motor 25. The number of tubing lengths 43 and impeller shaft lengths53 are then assembled together to fonn a tubing 41 and shaft 51 whichhave overall lengths corresponding with the length of the pipe column 19to provide for proper positioning of the impeller wheels 65 when theupper end of the shaft 51 is connected with the drive shaft of the motor25.

When the motor 25 is operated to drive the turbine 21, water will bepumped upwardly within the pipe column 19 thereby creating relativelyhigh hydrostatic pressures therein. Consequently, the joints 31 mustwithstand relatively high pressures throughout the length of such pipe.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that thepipe apparatus of present invention provides an economical andconvenient means for forming a pipe column made up of a number oflengths of pipe to provide an overall column length held to a relativelyclose tolerance.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to theforegoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. Underground pump apparatus comprising:

pump means adapted to be disposed in an underground pool and includingbowl means defining a chamber terminating at one end in a pump outlet,said pump means including impeller means disposed in said chamber;

a drive motor adapted to be disposed above ground;

a drive shaft connecting said drive motor with said impeller means;

an outlet head adapted to be disposed at ground level and disposed aconsequent distance above said pump outlet;

a pipe column of said consequent length and including a selected numberof pipe lengths formed on their respective opposite ends with male andfemale extremities which connect together to form joints, said femaleextremities being formed by integral pipe portions expanded to formfemale sockets;

stop means secured in said sockets at predetermined distances from therespective male ends of said respective pipe lengths;

internal threads in said sockets;

external threads on said male extremities whereby said pump means may belocated in said pool thereby locating said pump outlet said consequentdistance from said outlet head, said drive shaft connected between saidpump and said drive motor with said selected number of pipe lengthstelescoped thereover and assembled by screwing said respective maleextremities into the female sockets of the respective adjoining pipelengths until the male ends of said respective lengths abut the stopmeans in the sockets of the respective adjoining pipe lengths so theresultant assembled lengths will form a known overall length to enablesaid pipe column of said predetermined distance to be easily formed.

2. Underground pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pipe column includes at least five said pipe lengths.

3. Underground pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pipe column is at least 100 feet in length.

5 4. Close tolerance pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said stop means are in the form of rings disposed perpendicular to thecenter lines of the respective pipe lengths. 5. Close tolerance pipeapparatus as set forth in claim 4 that includes:

reinforcing collars surrounding the respective female extremities. 6.Close tolerance pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein: l5 saidinternal and external thread means are in the form of straight threads.7. Close tolerance pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:I reinforcing collars surrounding the respective female ex tremities. 8.Close tolerance pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said internal and external thread means are in the form of straightthreads.

9. Close tolerance pipe apparatus asset forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pipe lengths have a cross section greater than 5 inches.

1. Underground pump apparatus comprising: pump means adapted to bedisposed in an underground pool and including bowl means defining achamber terminating at one end in a pump outlet, said pump meansincluding impeller means disposed in said chamber; a drive motor adaptedto be disposed above ground; a drive shaft connecting said drive motorwith said impeller means; an outlet head adapted to be disposed atground level and disposed a consequent distance above said pump outlet;a pipe column of said consequent length and including a selected numberof pipe lengths formed on their respective opposite ends with male andfemale extremities which connect together to form joints, said femaleextremities being formed by integral pipe portions expanded to formfemale sockets; stop means secured in said sockets at predetermineddistances from the respective male ends of said respective pipe lengths;internal threads in said sockets; external threads on said maleextremities whereby said pump means may be located in said pool therebylocating said pump outlet said consequent distance from said outlethead, said drive shaft connected between said pump and said drive motorwith said selected number of pipe lengths telescoped thereover andassembled by screwing said respective male extremities into the femalesockets of the respective adjoining pipe lengths until the male ends ofsaid respective lengths abut the stop means in the sockets of therespective adjoining pipe lengths so the resultant assembled lengthswill form a known overall length to enable said pipe column of saidpredetermined distance to be easily formed.
 2. Underground pipeapparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said pipe column includes atleast five said pipe lengths.
 3. Underground pipe apparatus as set forthin claim 1 wherein: said pipe column is at least 100 feet in length. 4.Close tolerance pipe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: saidstop means are in the form of rings disposed perpendicular to the centerlines of the respective pipe lengths.
 5. Close tolerance pipe apparatusas set forth in claim 4 that includes: reinforcing collars surroundingthe respective female extremities.
 6. Close tolerance pipe apparatus asset forth in claim 4 wherein: said internal and external thread meansare in the form of straight threads.
 7. Close tolerance pipe apparatusas set forth in claim 1 that includes: reinforcing collars surroundingthe respective female extremities.
 8. Close tolerance pipe apparatus asset forth in claim 1 wherein: said internal and external thread meansare in the form of straight threads.
 9. Close tolerance pipe apparatusas set forth in claim 1 wherein: said pipe lengths have a cross sectiongreater than 5 inches.